Sliding closure discharge outlet assembly for a hopper



G. B. DOREY Nov. 5, 1963 SLIDING CLOSURE DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1958 INVENTOR. 660C765. [bray BY I 5 1 I 1 5 I IIIIIIIIIIIA SLIDING CLOSURE DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER G. B. DOREY Nov. 5, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec.

INV ENT OR. George ,5. Z70r@ BY W G. B. DOREY 3,109,388

SLIDING CLOSURE DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER Nov. 5, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 30, 1958 BY eargefi [20kg SLIDING CLOSURE DISCHARGE OUTLET ASSEMBLY FOR A HOPPER Nov. 5, 1963 G, B. DOREY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 50, 1958 INVENTOR.

Z5. Z7 fliilg may i lfl QM t EUHF DUR MwN KUK I UKWE United States Patent 3,lll9,388 SLIDING CLGSURE DlSEHAEGE @UTLET ASSEMELY FGR A HUEPER George E. Darcy, Westmount, Quehec, Canada, assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment lCornpany, Qhicago,

ill., a corporation of lllinois Filed Dec. 30, E58, Ser. No. 7%,749 2 Claims. (ill. 105-253) This invention relates to an improved outlet assembly for a hopper and is particularly concerned with that type of outlet assembly having a sliding gate for the discharge opening of a railway hopper car and the like.

The objects of the invention, among others, are: To provide an outlet assembly having a sliding gate with out Wardly and upwardly inclined side flanges adapted to underlie similarly inclined walls of the hopper structure; to provide an outlet assembly having a sliding gate wherein supports for the gate are localized adjacent each end thereof to insure sealing bearing contact at the leading end of the gate; to provide operating rack and pinion means for the gate located outwardly of the gate and frame; to provide toothed rack members at each side of the gate operable by geared pinions non-rotatably mounted on an operating shaft carried by the hopper; to provide toothed rack elements pivotally connected with a sliding gate so as to allow for deviation of the gate from the path of movement of the rack elements; and to provide an outlet frame structure having an upper section overlying hopper walls and a lower section in the form of a three sided enclosure within which the upper section is nested and secured.

The invention further resides in details associated with the construction and in the manner in which various el ments are coordinated to obtain the desired results and particularly in the novel means employed for guiding and supporting toothed rack elements.

For further comprehension of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein the invention is shown as applied to the hopper of a railway hopper car.

In said drawings FIGURE 1 shows the lower portion of one half the Width of a railway hopper car with the improved outlet assembly applied thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 as viewed from left to right, the operating shaft being shown in section.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1 as viewed from right to left.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of FIGURES 2 and 3 with the hopper walls eliminated to expose the frame proper and with certain parts broken away to better illustrate the construction.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional elevational view as seen at a location corresponding to a line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 with the gate in open position and showing in conventional dot and dash lines the position of the leading end of the gate when released from the supporting, ledge.

FIGURE 5a is a fractional elevational sectional perspective view taken on a line corresponding to a line Sa-Sa of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the hopper on a line d-o of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a fractional transverse sectional view in perspective taken through the frame assembly and showing the relation between the upper and lower frame members with the gate in closed position.

In said drawings the car structure proper is indicated by a center sill it) and an outwardly spaced side wall 11 including a side sill member lla. Intermediate the cenice ter sill 1d and side wall 11 is a load containing hopper as generally indicated at 12. It will be understood that similar hoppers are actually located on opposite sides of the center sill ill in transversely aligned relation but inasmuch as both such hoppers are of similar construction, the description herein will be confined to only one of such hoppers.

The load containing hopper 12 includes oppositely sloping iloors 13 and 14 which meet with inner and outer walls 15 and 16 to form a four sided hopper. The lower margins of the floors and walls fonming the hopper 12 are spaced apart to define a discharge area or opening 17. Surrounding the lower portion of the heretofore described hopper 12 is a frame generally indicated at 18 which includes an upper portion having wall sections 19, 20, 21 and 22 which respectively overlie the lower portions of floors l3 and 14 and the lower portions of inner and outer walls 15 and 15. The wall 21 includes an upper vertically disposed portion 23 and an inwardly and downwardly inclined portion 24.

The lower portion of the frame 18, which in effect constitutes a chutelike extension of the upper portion as defined by Wall 19 to 22 inclusive, includes depending walls 25, 26, 27 and 28 which together form a four sided enclosure for directing the flow of lading from the load containing hopper 12 in a downward direction. The upper edges of the walls 25, 27 and 558 meet with the undersurfaces of the downwardly sloping walls 19, Zll and 22 and are welded thereto as indicated at 25a, 27a and 28a respectively. The wall 26, FIGURE 5, preferably consists of a plate bent to channel shape with the web portion disposed at a downwardly inwardly sloping angle and its upper flange 29 spaced from the lower margin of the upper wall 2d to provide a slotted opening 3t) in the frame 18. The lower flange 31 extends horizontally rearwardly to reinforce the wall 26.

Extending through the slotted opening 34} of the frame it; is a sliding gate 34. The gate 34 is flared upwardly at the trailing end 34 to present an inclined end wall 35 and is provided at each side with upwardly and outwardly inclined side walls 36-36. The side walls 36-36, which may be formed of plates welded at 37 to the main body of the gate 34, are preferably disposed to be parallel to and immediately adjacent to the respective overyling wall 22 and portion 24 of wall 21.

The lower portion or" upper sloping end wall it is reinforced by an angle shaped member 33 which is applied with one wall 39 in contact with the undersurface ill of wall 20 and having the adjacent wall 41 extending outwardly to form a shield above the end Wall 35 of the gate 34 when closed. The member 38 is secured to the wall 20 by welding as indicated at 42 and 43. The walls 26 and 39 are notched at each end to accommodate the side flanges 3e-36 of the gate 34.

At the end of the discharge opening 17 remote from the slotted opening 36) of the frame 18 a shelf 44 extends continuously between the depending walls 27 and 28 of the frame 18 and forms a support for the leading end 45 of the gate 34 when the latter is in closed position.

The trailing end 34" of the gate 34 in its open position is supported on rails 46-46 which extend lengthwise in the general direction of opening movement of the gate 34 for an appreciable distance beyond the adjacent end of the frame 18. The rails 46-46 are interconnected by an angle shaped member 46'. The rails 46-46 are secured to and extend from the side walls: 27 and 23 of the frame id. The trailing end 34' of the gate 34 is supported by brackets 47 which underlie the gate 34 when it is in closed position. The gate 34 when in closed position is thus only supported adjacent each end and the Weight of the gate '34 and lading operates to make tight sealing contact between the leading end 45 or" the gate and its underlying shelf Intermediate the leading and trailing ends 4-5 and 3d of the'gate 34 there are provided brackets which function as supports for the gate 34 when its leading end 45 is released from its supporting shelf 44- as indicated by conventional dot and dash lines in FIGURE 5. The bearing surfaces of brackets 48 are spaced slightly below the undersurface 59 of the gate 34 when the latter is in closed position thus allowing for a slight downward movement of the gate 34 atits leading end upon withdrawal from the shelf 44. An inclined approach 51 to each surface 49 is provided to ease the gate 3 into position above the brackets 43 and in like manner inclined surfaces 52-52 are provided at the respective ends of the shelf dd to ease the gate into position on the upper surface 44' of the shelf it will he understood that the function of the guiding surfaces 51 and 52 is to lift the gate 34 during its transition from open to closed position.

For the purpose of confining the flow of lading toward its ultimate destination a iiexible extension chute 53 is provided as indicated by conventional dot and dash lines in FIGURE 2. The chute 53 is provided with a bordering frame 54 of angle shape including a laterally extending flange 55 for receiving and holding the extension chute 53 in place. Grooves 56 are provided in two adjacent sides 26- and 27 of the frame 18 in which the flange 55 is inserted and flanges 57 are provided on the other two adjacent sides and 28 of the frame 18 against which the flange 55 is held in place by clamps 58.

cases The operating mechanism for moving the gate 34- includes a rotatable shaft 59 journaled in bearings 6i? which in turn are carried by the rails 46 which are secured to and extend from the side walls 257 and 230i the frame 1-8. The shaft 59 projects beyond the bearings as and toothed pinions e r-e1 are non-rotatably mounted on the respective projecting ends. The shaft 59 is preferasbly of non-circular form. In order to provide circular shaped journals within the bearings 6d the pinions 61 are each formed with a circularly shaped journal portion 62 for seating in the bearings 60. Cooperating with the teeth of the pinions 61 are toothed racks 63 and dd which are pivotally connected with the gate 3d adjacent the trailing end 34' thereof. For effecting a connection between the gate 34 and the racks 63 and 64 a round rod 65 is welded to the trailing end 34 of the gate 34 through the medium of brackets 66 with extensions projecting beyond the sides of the gate as to present trunnions 67 constituting the pivots connecting with the racks 63 and 64.

As will be noted by reference to FTGURE 6, the toothed racks 63 and 6d are located outwardly of and on opposite sides of the walls 23 and 27 of the frame 13. Each rack includes'a body section of generally inverted T shape having a horizontaily extending body pontion d8 carrying a series of teeth as on the underside thereof and reinforced hy an upstanding flange 75). The racks 63 and 64, as will be understood, are movable with the gate 34 upon rotation of the shaft 59.

Supporting and guiding means are provided to prevent vertical and lateral displacement of the floating portions of the racks 63 and 64-. The supporting means for rack 63 include a plurality of shelves 71 extending outwardly from the frame 13 and welded (to the side wall 28 at 72. The guiding means includes brackets '73 disposed above the rack 63. The brackets 73 are welded at 73 to the wall 22 and extend outwardly therefrom. They have a channel portion 7dr! to embrace the ilange 7d of the rack 63. The rack 6 on the side of the frame 15 opposite to the rack 63 is similarly supported by shelves 7 5- which extend from the wall 27 and are welded thereto at 75. The guiding means for rack 64 include brackets 76 which are disposed above the rack 64 and have a channel portion .moveinent, The brackets 73 and '76 prevent outward,

inward and upward displacement of the racks 63 and 64. it will be observed that although the racks 63 and 64 are restricted to a generally horizontal straight line path of movement there is, by reason of the pivotal attachment provided by the rod as between them and the gate 34, freedom for the gate 34 to adjust itself to a difierent path of movement as it pivots around the trunnions 67. The provision for allowing the gate 34 to move along a path of mover rent out of parallel with the path of movement of the racks is of importance in a construction where the angular relation of the gate 34 to the support provided by the shelf 4 and brackets 47 and 48 varies during the transition from closed to open position.

The rack 63 is provided with a shouldered portion 77 located at the end adjacent the pivotal connection with the gate 3 and cooperable therewith is a pivotally mounted dog '78 which is adapted to be swung about pivot 79 extending laterally from one of the rails 46 into the path of movement of the rack 63 when thegate 34 is in closed position; This prevents movement of the rack and gate 34 inan opening direction. By reason of the interengagement between the teeth 69 of the racks 63 and 6 and pinions 61 on the respective ends of the shaft 59 it will be observed that the gate 34 isrsecurely held in closed position at each side of the frame. The outspread arrangement of the racks 63 and 6d and pinions 61 is conducive to the maintenance of a straight line path of movement of the gate 34 in its transition from open to closed position and vice versa.

The arrangement providing a slight drop in the leading end 45 of the gate 34 upon initiation of the gate opening movement provides for release of the gate surface from t to pressure of the lading and is conducive to ease of operation. The absence of continuous supporting rails for the gate 34 within the frame 18 precludes the lodgement of lading in the discharge area and this feature combined with the extension of sloping walls 22 and 24 above the gate 34 assures a clean and complete discharge of lading.

The structure involving an upper section having sloping walls 19, 22 and 24 which nest within a three sided lower enclosure provided by walls 25, 2% and 27 and having a welded connection ttherebetween is simple to manufacture and provides exceptional strength and rigidity to the assembly.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a four-sided hopper having a discharge opening and a genenally horizontally slidable closure for the opening, said hopper comprising a frame around the opening, said frame having wall sections overlying the closure when in closed position, said closure having upstanding side and end walls bordering three sides of the closure providing a three-sided pan-shaped structure generally horizontally slidable to closed position to extend in juxtaposition to the outer surfaces of three of the overlying walls of the frame and extend beneath the lower marginal edge of the fourth overlying wall, means mounting said closure for generally horizontal sliding movement with its top surface in close proximity to the lower marginal edge of that wall of said frame that is juxtaposed to said end wall of said closure in closed position throughout substantially the entire range of movement or" said closure between closed and open positions, supporting means for the leading edge of the closure to support it in closed position, means cooperating with said gate as it approaches said supporting means for elevating said leading end of said gate to the level of saidsupporting means, and other supporting means disposed intermediate the ends of the opening and spaced below the level of the closed position of the closure for supporting the closure when the leading end is released from its support.

2. In combination, a four-sided hopper having a discharge opening and a generally horizontally slidable closure for the opening, said hopper comprising a frame around the opening including downwardly and inwardly sloping walls overlying the closure when in closed position, the lower marginal edges of said walls extending around the four sides of the opening, upstanding side walls at the sides of the closure extending beneath the overlying side walls of the frame and having the upper marginal edges thereof engaging with the undersurface of said slp ing walls when the closure is in the closed position, an upstanding wall at one end of said closure in closed position juxtaposed to the outer surface of one of the sloping end walls of said frame, means mounting said closure for generally horizontal sliding movement with its top surface in close proximity to the lower marginal edge of that wall of said frame that is juxtaposed to said end Wall of said closure in closed position throughout substantially the entire range of movement of said closure between closed and open position, supporting means for the leading edge of the closure to support it in closed position beneath said transverse Wall, means cooperating with said gate as it approaches said supporting means for elevating said leading end of said gate to the level of said supporting means,

and other supporting. means disposed intermediate the ends of the opening and spaced below the level of the closed position of the closure for supporting the closure when the leading end is released from its support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280 621 Hetfield July 3, 1883 703,276 Kellogg June 24, 1902 881,857 Harrington Mar. 10, 1908 934,860 Ullmann Sept. 21, 1909 987,877 Harrington Mar. 28, 1911 989,652 Schultz Apr. 18, 1911 1,274,732 McRae Aug. 6, 1918 1,370,659 Malcher Mar. 8, 1921 1,924,419 Sinden Aug. 29, 1933 2,043,616 Hankins June 9, 1936 2,317,007 Wenl'ger Apr. 20, 1943 2,318,763 Ditchfield May 11, 1943 2,386,702 McBride Oct. 9, 1945 2,738,735 Zimmer Mar. 20, 1956 2,738,739 Dorey Mar. 20, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 376,278 Fnance June 6, 1907 270,197 Germany Feb. 9, 1914 

1. IN COMBINATION, A FOUR-SIDED HOPPER HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING AND A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY SLIDABLE CLOSURE FOR THE OPENING, SAID HOPPER COMPRISING A FRAME AROUND THE OPENING, SAID FRAME HAVING WALL SECTIONS OVERLYING THE CLOSURE WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID CLOSURE HAVING UPSTANDING SIDE AND END WALLS BORDERING THREE SIDES OF THE CLOSURE PROVIDING A THREE-SIDE PAN-SHAPED STRUCTURE GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY SLIDABLE TO CLOSED POSITION TO EXTEND IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THE OUTER SURFACES OF THREE OF THE OVERLYING WALLS OF THE FRAME AND EXTEND BENEATH THE LOWER MARGINAL EDGE OF THE FOURTH OVERLYING WALL, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CLOSURE FOR GENERALLY HORIZONTAL SLIDING MOVEMENT WITH ITS TOP SURFACE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE LOWER MARGINAL EDGE OF THAT WALL OF SAID FRAME THAT IS JUXTAPOSED TO SAID END WALL OF SAID CLOSURE IN CLOSED POSITION THROUGHOUT SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE RANGE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CLOSURE BETWEEN CLOSED AND OPEN POSITIONS, SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE LEADING EDGE OF THE CLOSURE TO SUPPORT IT IN CLOSED POSITION, MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID GATE AS IT APPROACHES SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ELEVATING SAID LEADING END OF SAID GATE TO THE LEVEL OF SAID SUPPORTING MEANS, AND OTHER SUPPORTING MEANS DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS OF THE OPENING AND SPACED BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE CLOSED POSITION OF THE CLOSURE FOR SUPPORTING THE CLOSURE WHEN THE LEADING END IS RELEASED FROM ITS SUPPORT. 